Iron isotopic analyses of geological reference materials on MC-ICP-MS with instrumental mass bias corrected by three independent methods

Here we report iron (Fe) isotopic data of three pure Fe solution standards (IRMM-014, GSB Fe, and NIST 3126a) and five widely used geological reference materials (RMs) from the United States Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Japan obtained on a Neptune Plus multi-collector–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) in our laboratory over the past 3 years. The instrumental mass bias was corrected by three independent methods: sample-standard bracketing (SSB), Ni doping?+?SSB, and ⁵⁷Fe–⁵⁸Fe double spike?+?SSB. Measurements reveal that both the Ni doping and double spike methods helped calibrate short-term fluctuations in mass bias. Collectively, almost all measurements of RMs yielded δ⁵⁶Fe within?±?0.05 of recommended values, provided that each sample was measured four times on MC-ICP-MS. For the first time, new recommended values for NIST SRM3126a are reported (δ⁵⁶Fe?=?0.363?±?0.006, 2SE, 95% CI; and δ⁵⁷Fe?=?0.534?±?0.010, 2SE).     

The effect of annealing on the luminescence decay-time of synthetic calcite:Mn

Calcite was synthesized by four methods, and the luminescence decay-time was measured for nine samples before and after heating hydrothermally in the temperature range 200–400°C. Decay-time data were collected between room temperature and approximately 15 K. The decay time at room temperature is approximately 50 ms, with little difference between a given calcite before and after hydrothermal treatment. The decay time at 15 K is always greater than at room temperature as the effect of thermal quenching diminishes. Differences in decay time before and after heating are more apparent at low temperature owing to this reduction in thermal quenching. The decay time decreased significantly in two samples, and an increase in decay time was observed in the remaining seven samples following heating. Among the latter group, the change in decay time was insignificant in three samples. The results are compared with previous data in which it was shown that the effect of heating is to increase the intensity of luminescence.     

Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography

In recent months there has been an explosion of interest in using the Web to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic information provided voluntarily by individuals. Sites such as Wikimapia and OpenStreetMap are empowering citizens to create a global patchwork of geographic information, while Google Earth and other virtual globes are encouraging volunteers to develop interesting applications using their own data. I review this phenomenon, and examine associated issues: what drives people to do this, how accurate are the results, will they threaten individual privacy, and how can they augment more conventional sources? I compare this new phenomenon to more traditional citizen science and the role of the amateur in geographic observation.     

Chemical composition of rock-forming minerals and crystallization physicochemical conditions of the Middle Eocene I-type Haji Abad pluton,SW Buin-Zahra,Iran

The Haji Abad intrusion is a well-exposed Middle Eocene I-type granodioritc pluton in the Urumieh–Dokhtar magmatic assemblage (UDMA). The major constituents of the investigated rocks are K-feldspar, quartz, plagioclase, pyroxene, and minor Fe–Ti oxide and hornblende. The plagioclase compositions fall in the labradorite, andesine, and oligoclase fields. The amphiboles range in composition from magnesio-hornblende to tremolite–hornblende of the calcic-amphibole group. Most pyroxenes principally plot in the field of diopside. The calculated average pressure of emplacement is 1.9 kbar for the granodioritic rocks, crystallizing at depths of about 6.7 km. The highest pressure estimated from clinopyroxene geobarometry (5 kbar) reflects initial pyroxene crystallization pressure, indicating initial crystallization depth (17.5 km) in the Haji Abad granodiorite. The estimated temperatures using two-feldspar thermometry give an average 724 °C. The calculated average temperature for clinopyroxene crystallization is 1090 °C. The pyroxene temperatures are higher than the estimated temperature by feldspar thermometry, indicating that the pyroxene and feldspar temperatures represent the first and late stages of magmatic crystallization of Haji Abad granodiorite, respectively. Most pyroxenes plot above the line of Fe³⁺?=?0, indicating they crystallized under relatively high oxygen fugacity or oxidized conditions. Furthermore, the results show that the Middle Eocene granitoids crystallized from magmas with H₂O content about 3.2 wt%. The relatively high water content is consistent with the generation environment of HAG rocks in an active continental margin and has allowed the magma to reach shallower crustal levels. The MMEs with ellipsoidal and spherical shapes show igneous microgranular textures and chilled margins, probably indicating the presence of magma mixing. Besides, core to rim compositional oscillations (An and FeO) for the plagioclase crystals serve as robust evidence to support magma mixing. The studied amphiboles and pyroxenes are grouped in the subalkaline fields that are consistent with crystallization from I-type calc-alkaine magma in the subduction environment related to active continental margin. Mineral chemistry data indicate that Haji Abad granodiorites were generated in an orogenic belt related to the volcanic arc setting consistent with the subduction of Neo-Tethyan oceanic crust beneath the central Iranian microcontinent.     

Raman spectroscopic study of K-lingunite at various pressures and temperatures

K-lingunite is a high-pressure modification of K-feldspar that possesses the tetragonal hollandite structure. Variations of the Raman spectra of K-lingunite were studied up to ~31.5 GPa at room temperature, and in the range 79–823 K at atmospheric pressure. The Raman frequencies of all bands were observed to increase with increasing pressure, and decrease with increasing temperature for K-lingunite. This behavior is in line with those observed for most of other materials. New sharp Raman bands appear at pressures greater than 13–15 GPa, suggesting a phase transition in K-lingunite with increasing pressure. The transition is reversible when pressure was released. The appearance of these new Raman bands may correspond to the phase transition revealed earlier at around 20 GPa by X-ray diffraction studies. Instead of transforming back to its stable minerals, such as orthoclase, microcline or sanidine, K-lingunite became amorphous in the temperature range 803–823 K at atmospheric pressure.     

Glauconites from the Late Palaeocene — Early Eocene Naredi Formation,western Kutch and their genetic implications

Glauconitic minerals are considered as one of the valuable input parameters in sequence stratigraphic analysis of a basin. In the present study glauconitic minerals are reported from subtidal green shale facies in the lower part of the Late Paleocene-Early Eocene Naredi Formation of western Kutch. On the basis of the foraminiferal assemblage the glauconite bearing beds are interpreted to have formed in a mid shelf depositional settings of an unstable marine conditions. XRD studies confirm the glauconite mineralogy of the green pellets and provide an estimation of glauconite maturity. Textural attributes of the glauconites confirm their derivation by different degrees of alteration of precursor feldspar grains. Because of the authigenic origin and autochthonous nature, these glauconites hold promise for understanding sequence stratigraphy of the Palaeogene succession of the western Kutch.     

西昆仑落石沟一带铅锌矿成矿规律与找矿前景

西昆仑落石沟矿带是新疆西南部重要的成矿区带,落石沟矿带已发现铁、铜、铅锌矿(床)点13处,成矿潜力巨大。文章在综合前人工作成果的基础上,就区域内铅锌矿的分布规律、成矿地质背景、矿床地质特征、区域物化探异常特征、成矿模式、控矿因素等方面进行了介绍,重点以宝塔山、多宝山铅锌矿作为典型矿床对其成矿特征进行了分析和对比,指出西昆仑落石沟一带为寻找MVT型(碳酸盐岩容矿型)铅锌矿的有利地区,初步总结了该成矿带铅锌矿的控矿规律,确定了区域预测要素,提出了找矿有利地区。     

一阶弹性波交错网格时间高阶差分格式及稳定性分析

弹性波模拟或逆时偏移时,对空间偏导数采用高阶差分格式可提高计算精度,但这种算法的稳定性条件过于严格,要求差分离散的时间步长必须足够小以确保算法稳定。在常规空间高阶差分格式的基础上,将速度(应力)对时间的高阶导数转化为不同精度的应力(速度)对空间的差分,得到了一种新的基于交错网格的时间高阶、空间高阶差分格式。通过对交错网格时间高阶差分格式稳定性的分析,认为该算法的稳定性条件较常规算法宽松,在弹性波场的求解过程中可以采用更大的时间步长。     

The effects of soil sand contents on characteristics of humic acids along soil profiles

It is generally accepted that the compositions and properties of soil organic matter (SOM) are influenced by many factors. In order to reveal the effects of soil texture on characteristics and dynamics of SOM and its sub-fraction, humic acid (HA), along two soil profiles, a yellow soil profile and a purplish soil profile, under the same climate and vegetation conditions were determined. Results indicate that the decomposition and humification degrees of SOM and HA of the purplish soils are higher than those of the corresponding yellow soils indicated by A/O–A ratios of HAs, TOCs and HA yields of bulk soil samples, nevertheless, the development degree of the purplish soil is lower than that of the yellow soil. The variations of E₄/E₆ ratios of HAs along the soil profiles indicate the overall molecular sizes of HAs decreased downward along the soil profiles. A/O–A ratios of HAs decreased downward along both the soil profiles indicate that humification processes decrease downward along both the soil profiles. Leaching of SOM shows significant effects on the distribution and characteristics of HAs in the yellow soil profile but the purplish soil profile, which is consistent with the higher hydrophobicity of HAs in purplish soils, shows that the distribution characteristics of SOM along the soil profiles are a complex result of the combination of soil texture and characteristics of SOM itself. The remarkably different sand contents are concluded tentatively as one of reasons to the different distributions and dynamics of HAs along the soil profiles, however, to profoundly understand the evolution and transport of SOM along soil profiles needs more researches.     

日本虎斑猛水蚤在抑食金球藻中存活、发育和繁殖的实验研究

抑食金球藻(Aureococus anophagefferens)可以形成褐潮, 并对贝类、浮游动物等多种生物均能造成不利影响。为进一步探究抑食金球藻对浮游动物的影响, 本文以日本虎斑猛水蚤(Tigriopus japonicus)为实验生物, 研究抑食金球藻对日本虎斑猛水蚤摄食、存活、生长发育以及繁殖的影响。日本虎斑猛水蚤具有易于在实验室培养、生长周期短、雌雄异体等优点, 是海洋毒性污染物检测的模式生物。实验利用高效液相色谱分析方法, 在日本虎斑猛水蚤体内色素中检测到了抑食金球藻的特征色素19’-丁酰氧基岩藻黄素(But-fuco), 表明日本虎斑猛水蚤能够摄食抑食金球藻。当微藻生物量(相对碳含量)分别同为0.7 μg/mL和7.2 μg/mL时, 在抑食金球藻中无节幼体发育至桡足幼体及成体的存活率均高于以青岛大扁藻为饵料的对照组, 但无显著差异, 并且在前者中无节幼体的发育时间显著低于后者, 12 d内雌体的产卵次数与产卵量显著高于后者。结果表明, 日本虎斑猛水蚤在抑食金球藻中能进行正常的生命活动, 并且是首次报导的一种能够在抑食金球藻中正常摄食、生存、生长发育和繁殖的浮游动物。因此, 当褐潮发生时, 由于贝类幼体等生物会受到显著的不利影响, 日本虎斑猛水蚤等抗性较强的生物可能会成为优势种, 从而会影响浮游动物群落结构的组成, 进而可能会使整个海洋生态系统发生变化。本研究有助于全面了解褐潮对海洋生态系统的影响。